The present invention relates to a seating system for a vehicle capable of movement between a seating position and a stowed position. The present invention relates more particularly to a seating system for a vehicle having a positioning system for moving the seat between a stowed position and a seating position. The present invention relates more particularly to a seating system having a positioning system that is accessible from a side location and a rear location of the vehicle.
Seating systems for vehicles having a seat bottom and a seat back are generally known. Such known seating systems may also be configured for movement of the seat back between a generally upright seating position and a generally horizontal stowed position, such as for providing additional cargo storage space. Such known seating systems typically include a latch mechanism for locking the seat back in the seating position and for releasing the seat back for movement to the stowed position when additional cargo storage space is desired.
However, such known seating systems typically require a user to manually activate a latch on the seat back and grasp a portion of the seat back (e.g. a cushion, a headrest or trim piece, etc.) in order to move the seat back from the stowed position to the seating position. The need to reach the latch and/or to grasp a portion of the seat back often requires the user to lean or bend over or otherwise configure their body in a cumbersome, uncomfortable or inconvenient position in order to reach the seat back and to obtain the necessary leverage to move the seat back from the stowed position to the seating position. For example, in applications such as rear or third row seating for vehicles such as a minivan or sport utility vehicle it may be difficult for a user at a rear location of the vehicle, such as from a tailgate or lift gate, to reach the top of the seat back.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a seating system for a vehicle that is capable of movement between a seating position and a stowed position. It would also be advantageous to provide a seating system for a vehicle having a seat back that is capable of movement between a generally upright seating position and a generally horizontal stowed position. It would be further advantageous to provide a seating system for a vehicle having a positioning system that is conveniently accessible for movement of the seat from the stowed position to the seating position. It would be further advantageous to provide a seating system having a positioning system that is conveniently accessible from a tailgate area of a vehicle. It would be further advantageous to provide a seating system that is conveniently accessible from a side location of the vehicle. It would be further advantageous to provide a seating system having a positioning system that improves the leverage of a user in moving the seat from the stowed position to the seating position.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a seating system having any one or more of these or other advantageous features.